This invention relates to acoustics and in particular to methods and apparatus for generating parameters for conditioning audio signals driving electro acoustic transducers to enhance the quality of sound.
It is known from US 2001/0016047A1 to provide a sound field correcting system in which test signals are played through loud speakers and the reproduced sound is measured to obtain data characteristic of the sound field. The sound field is then corrected by calculating parameters applied in a frequency characteristic correcting process, a level correcting process and phase correcting process when reproducing sound.
It is also known from CA 2608395A1 to correct acoustic parameters of transducers using data acquired at a series of different locations in the sound field.
US 2003/0235318 similarly describes measuring an acoustic response at a number of expected listener positions within a room in order to derive a correction filter which is then used in a filter in conjunction with loud speakers to reproduce sound which is substantially free of distortions.
The acquisition of the data in such system has hitherto been a task carried out by experts with knowledge of how to position microphones and measure their positions relative to loud speakers in a satisfactory manner. Such systems have therefore been difficult to implement in a context of home installations of hi-fi or cinema systems, or in sound recording or monitoring studios in the absence of professional assistance and measurement and analysis equipment.